The word “invent” appears below HP’s logo. To help cut costs, the world’s largest IT company is laying off people — and turning to software — to keep that inventive drive in motion.

The AP reports that Hewlett-Packard Co. is planning to cut 9,000 jobs stationed in its back-office data centers. The changes amount to 3 percent of HP’s 304,000 employees being let go, but the company said also plans to hire 6,000 new workers in its global sales and delivery departments.

HP currently runs more than 100 data centers for its customers. These layoffs, which will take place over the next three years, will cut that total roughly in half, as the company leans more toward automation to boost productivity in that sector.